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Monday, 4 April 2011

Aesthetic Movement Exhibition at the V&A

Patience.... what's that all about? Well, if you have always been wondering, wonder no more because the V&A has a wonderful new exhibition The Cult of Beauty: Beautiful Dreamers running from now until the 17th of July.

The Independant has an interesting article about the Aesthetic Movement and the Exhibition on their website here.

'....as captivating as this cult of personality proved to be, their peacock feathers and long-haired loftiness also left them open to ridicule, together with stories of decadence and complicated amours. As the years went by, they were attacked for being a narcissistic, pavonine and self-regarding group that was prone to excessive foppery.

Satirical ribaldry against them emerged in the form of cartoons in Punch and in Gilbert and Sullivan's opera Patience. Calloway says this cloud of disparaging humour did "slightly puncture the grandeur of the movement". A young Oscar Wilde, still a student at Oxford at the time, came on board the movement to counteract the negative publicity after being asked by the theatre impresario, D'Oyly Carte, who was promoting Gilbert and Sullivan's opera, to undertake a series of lectures in America so the nation would understand the opera's many contemptuous references to the movement. Wilde spent a year lecturing, giving 300 talks and travelling a thousand miles to spread the word. His efforts paid off: aestheticism became well understood in America.'

You will find full details about this fascinating exhibition on the V&A Website.

The Cult of Beauty: the Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900, V&A, London SW7 (020 7942 2000) 2 April to 17 July..

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The Gondoliers: March 2018

News Headlines

PBGS is delighted to be opening the 25th Silver Jubilee International G&S Festival in Harrogate with our production of The Gondoliers (first showing at the QMT in Hitchin in April 2018). We will be performing at 2.30pm on Thursday 9th August 2018 at Harrogate Theatre. If you are coming to the Festival please come and cheer us on!

Congratulations to Emma Crew, Katharine Crew and Bryony Growdon for winning the Noda East District 3 award for 'Most Interesting Grouping' for their wonderful Essex performances as Kate, Isobel and Edith in our recent production of The Pirates of Penzance. PBGS would like to invite you to join us as a patron. This is an excellent to way to support our society and it has its benefits! Find out more about our Patron Scheme here.

Our Oct 2017 Production: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC: OCT 2018

Putteridge Bury G&S Society, or PBGS for short, is a NODA affiliated amateur operatic society specialising in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, but also performing operetta and musicals. Affectionately know as Putt, we have been performing quality musical shows in South Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire since 1971.

Concerts

PBGS has a wealth of vocal talent, and have performers available for full concerts or as smaller groups of soloists to fit your occasion or venue. We regularly raise money for both Society funds and for charity and can adapt a programme to fit your needs. For more information click on the Concert Hire tab above, and on the Contact Us tab to discuss a programme.

The G&S Sketch Show

Written by member Paula Fraser, this show is a fast-paced romp through the main themes of all the Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas. Performed as part of the 2011 Buxton International G&S Festival Fringe, it can be performed in small venues, or expanded and adapted to larger ones. If you are interested in the G & S Sketch Show please click on the Contact Us tab above.